Monday, June 9, 2008

For Queenie's sake

While attending Senator Clinton's speech on Saturday at the National Building Museum, I had the opportunity to meet Queenie, the eight year old girl in the picture with me. Queenie has been working as volunteer for Senator Clinton this primary season. The area where I was standing when I met her was packed because it was close to the podium. I helped make sure Queenie got to the rope, so she could see. I made sure Terry McAuliffe shook her hand, and not only did he do that! At her mother's request, Terry signed Queenie's shirt, after telling her that she might very well be President of the United States. And she very well might!

My relentless insistence that we RETIRE THE DEBT, that is, that we contribute to Senator Clinton stems in part from my belief that Queenie, and millions of girls like her, must grow up knowing that no woman has to depend on a man for financial support if that woman has earned the confidence of 18 million voters. The press speculates that Senator Obama will "help" Senator Clinton pay off the primary debt. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. My point is that I do not want Senator Clinton to need that help. I want her debt paid down by the people who never treated her dismissively, who never acted well toward her simply when it was convenient for them.

Seeing is believing. I want Queenie, and the world, to see that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is perfectly capable of raising her own money to pay her own expenses. Let's show 'em.